Germany had a major election last weekend, one that left its center-left ruling party, the Social Democratic Party ruling party in the dust, and the conservative Christian Democratic Union ascendant once again. The country’s likely next leader, Friedrich Merz, took to the airwaves after the results were announced and proclaimed that it was time for not just a new Germany, but for a new Europe.

How much Europe should rely on the United States is an issue that has loomed over European politics since President Donald Trump took power just over a month ago, bringing his isolationist “America First” vision with him.

In his post-race remarks, Merz told German voters, “It is clear that the Americans, at any case the Americans in this administration, do not care much about the fate of Europe” and that he plans to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that we achieve independence from the US.”

And he’s not the only European leader talking about instituting a seismic shift in US-European relations. France’s President Emmanuel Macron recently wrote, “Europeans must invest better, more, and together in their security and defense—both for today and for the future.”

Meanwhile, the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “We have to recognize the new era that we are in, not cling hopelessly to the comforts of the past. It’s time for us to take responsibility for our security — for our continent.”

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